THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

STANDING COMMITTEE ON OBSERVATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Bulletin No. 1                                      September 1, 1961.


	With the sixteen Centres of our Society spread over some three thousand miles,
it is not surprising that sane of us have little opportunity of getting to know each
other. Over the past few years, however, a very definite effort has been made to
bring the Centres into closer contact. First was the decision to hold every alter-
nate Annual Meeting outside of Toronto, provided, of course, that invitations from the
Centres were forthcoming. Then the Annual Meeting was extended into a two-day
session, with members being given the opportunity to present papers at a morning
paper session. Next was the introduction of an exhibit at the Annual Meeting of
observational work done by the members. There can be no doubt that much has already
been accomplished by these measures.

	In addition to the foregoing, just over two years ago a Committee on Co-
operation Between Observing Centres was appointed to look into the possibilities of
providing a system for the regular exchange of reports and of developing an
observation programme on a national basis. In March 1961 this Committee presented
its final recommendations to the National Council.    Their report was approved by
the National Council and the Camnittee was then dissolved, to be replaced by the
Standing Committee on Observational Activities, appointed by the National Council
and consisting of a National Chairman and three other members. This Committee is
responsible for the organizati on of a programme under eleven fields of observational
activity, each field to be headed by a National Co-ordinator, appointed by the
National Council on the recommendation of the Committee.

	There are many points still to be settled.    To date only five National
Co-ordinators have been appointed. It is realized, too, that eventually Assistant
Co-ordinators will be required in sane fields. We are eager to get started, however,
and this Bulletin is being issued to give you sane understanding of how the whole
organization will operate. We especially want to emphasize the following points:-

     1.  It is not expected that all Centres will participate in all fields of
         activity and, while we certainly hope that each Centre will take part
         in at least one, no pressure will be brought to bear on any Centre.

     2.  No Centre will be asked to relinquish its own way of doing things.
         While each Co-ordinator will develop a programme, making instructions
         and report forms available to those who want them, our primary aim is
         the pooling and exchange of information rather than standardization
         of procedure. The Co-ordinators will probably get a lot of good ideas
         from reports on programmes already in operation.

     3.  There is no reason why the proposed organization should interfere in
         any way with work that Centres are now doing in co-operation with
         other organizations, such as the A.A.V.S.O., the A.L.P.O., etc.

Bulletin No.1 (continued)	Standing Committee on Observational Activities



     4.  It is hoped that no Centre will hesitate to participate simply
         because very few of its members are active observers or because
         its observers lack experience. Collectively we can do more than
         we could accomplish individually. With someone to co-ordinate
         its efforts, even a group that c omprises only one member from
         each of several Centres could soon produce results, and the Co-
         ordinator will be ready to give all the help requested.

     5.  It is felt that each National Co-ordinator should have one contact
         with each Centre. If he were to attempt to correspond with
         individual observers, he could easily be snowed under. Therefore,
         where a Centre has more than one observer in any field, the Centre
         should decide who is to be the contact with the National Co-ordinator.



         Attached is the list of Fields of Activity and National Co-ordinators
appointed to date. You will be hearing in due course from each of the Co-
ordinators.

         It is important that these Bulletins be brought to the attention of the
members who are interested in observational work.    We are sending this first
Bulletin to the President and the Secretary of each Centre and also to the Director
of Observations (or Telescopes) where we have the names of such individuals.     If
your Centre does not have a Director of Observations, would you appoint someone to
act as your main contact with our Committee and advise us of his name and address.
Contacts f or the various fields of activity need not be appointed until you have
heard from the Co-ordinator and then only for the fields in which your Centre decides
to participate.












                                          R. V. Ramsay, National Chairman,
3 Medici Court,                           Standing Committee on Observational Activities
Scarborough, Ontario.

                       THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

                    STANDING COMMITTEE ON OBSERVATIONAL ACTIVITIES

                    ==============================================


NATIONAL CHAIRMAN                      R. Vernon Ramsay (Toronto Centre),
                                       3 Medici Court, Scarborough, Ont.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS                      Earl Milton (Edmonton Centre),
                                       9634 - 85 St., Edmonton, Alta.

                                       Dr. W. L. Orr (Ottawa Centre),
                                       1952 Fairbanks Ave., Ottawa 1, Ont.

                                       Miss Isabel K. Williamson (Montreal Centre),
                                       5162 Belmore Ave., Montreal 29, P.Q.



FIELD OF ACTIVITY                                  NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR

Lunar                                  R. Thompson (Toronto Centre),
                                       Box 79, Maple, Ont.

Planetary                              G. Gaherty, Jr. (Montreal Centre),
                                       636 Sydenham St., Westmount, Montreal 6, P.Q.

Aurora Borealis                        Earl Hilton (Edmonton Centre), 
                                       96314 - 85 St., Edmonton, A]ta.

Artificial Satellites                  E. Rogers (Calgary Centre),
                                       1507 - 22nd St. LW., Calgary, Alta.

Comets and Novae                       J. Low (Montreal Centre),
                                       411 Brixton Ave., St. Lambert, P.Q.

Meteors                                      (Not yet appointed)

Solar                                          "   "      "

Variable Stars                                 "   "      "

Deep Sky Objects                               "   "      "

Eclipses, Transits & Occultations              "   "      "

Instrumentation                                "   "      "

                         STANDING COMMITTEE ON OBSERVATIONAL ACTIVITIES
                        MAILING LIST FOR BULLETIN FROM NATIONAL CHAIRMAN

Centre         Officer    Name                   Address
Calgary       -President  Sam Litchinsky         314 12 St. N.W. , Calgary, Alta.
               Secretary  Mrs. K.B.Meiklejohn     88 Selkirk Drive, Calgary, Alta.

Edmonton       President  Franklin Loehde        11542 - 65 St., Edmonton, Alta.
               Secretary  Dr. D.R. Crosby        Dept.of Math., Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton.
               Ob.Group   D. Marven              11046 - 87 Ave., Edmonton, Alta.

Halifax        President  B.W. Allan             419 Windsor St., Apt.6, Halifax, N.S.
               Secretary  Dr. R.L. Aikens         42 Bellevue Aye,, Halifax, N.S.

Hamilton       President  James A. Winger        R.R.#3, Burlington, Ont.
               Sec-Treas. George Murchie	  77 Fennel Ave. Fest, Hamilton, Ont.
               Curator    G.M. Vansickle	   4 Meadowvale Ave., Stoney Creek, Ont.
                          E. Ostrosser            70 Sussex Ave., Hamilton, Ont.

London       - President  R.W. Richardson         408 Queen's Ave., London, Ont.
               Secretary  Dr. H.R. Kingston       277 Victoria St., London, Ont.

Montreal       President  E.E. Bridgen            241 Clarke Ave., Westmount, Montreal 6, P.Q.
               Secretary  W.J. Cullinan          5009 King Edward Ave., Montreal, P.Q.
               Dir, Obs.  F.J. DeKinder         10724 Emile St., Montreal 12, P.Q.

Francais de    President  Gaston Lebrun          2162 Ave. LeBrun, Montreal, P.Q.
Montreal       Sec-Treas. Mlle. F. Laforest        36 Deslauriers Ave., Pierrefonds, P.Q.
              -Dir. Obs.  Pierre Lemieux          267 Ave. George V, Dorval, P.Q.

Niagara Falls -President  F. A. Campbell         2372 Cherrywood Rd., Niagara Falls, Ont.
               Secretary  R. G. Nelson           2019 Keith St., Niagara Falls, Ont.
               Chairman,
                Tel.Mak.  D. Naylor               231 Stanton St., Fort Erie, Ont.

Ottawa         President  Dr. Ian Hafliday       Dominion Observatory, Ottawa, Ont.
               Secretary  A.A. Griffin           Dominion Observatory, Ottawa, Ont.
               Chairman,
                Obs.Gr.   E.H. Dudgeon           247 Knox Cres., Ottawa 1, Ont.

Quebec        -President  J. Alfred Dumont       765 Chemin Ste-Foy, Quebec 6, P.Q.
               Sec.-Treas.Paul-H. Nadeau         229-Ouest, rue St-Cyrille, Quebec 6, P.Q.

Toronto        President  R.R. Broadfoot         763 Mt. Pleasant Rd., Toronto 7, Ont.
               Secretary  F.L. Troyer            53 Woodlawn Ave. East, Toronto 7, Ont.
               Dir.Obs.   D.J. Fitzgerald        558 Perth Ave., Toronto 9, Ont.

Vancouver      President  Dr. J.A. Jacobs        Physics Dept., Univ. of Br.Col., Van. 8, B.C.
               Secretary  Ivor J. Mills          675 West 32nd Ave., Vancouver 9, B.C.
             - Dir.Tele.  S.D. Sullivan          6610 Lime St., Vancouver 14, B.C.

Victoria       President  Dr. J.L. Climenhaga     Victoria College, Victoria, B.C.
               Secretary  A. Andersen            1048 Craigdarroeh Rd., Victoria, B ù C.
             - Dir.Tele.  R. Peters              2371 Arbutus Rd., Victoria, B.C.
Windsor      - President  R.P. Nelson            7128 Edgeton, Detroit, Mich., U.S.A.
               Secretary  Gordon Turner          2231 Lincoln Rd., Windsor, Ont.

Winnipeg     - President  W.W. Wright             263 Guildford St., St.James, Man.
               Sec-Treas. T.D. Cairns             924 Waterford Ave., Winnipeg 9, Man.

Kingston     - President  A.K.F. Turner           297 Frontenac St., Kingston, Ont.
               Secretary  F.M. Taylor             c/o Observatory, Queens Univ., Kingston,Ont.

NATIONAL OFFICERS
              President Dr. P.M. Miliman          N.R.C., Radio & Elec.Eng.Div., Ottawa, Ont.
              Vice-Pr.  Miss R.J.Northcott        David Dunlap Cbs., Richmond Hill, Ont.
              Secretary J.E. Kennedy              252 College Street, Toronto 2-B, Ont.
              Treasurer Dr. J.F. Heard            David Dunlap Obs., Richmond Hill, Ont.
              Librarian L.E. Chester              12 Duggan Ave ., Toronto 7, Ont.
              Past Pres. Dr. Helen S. Hogg David Dunlap Obs., Richmond Hill, Ont.
              Past Pres. Dr. R.X, Petrie. Dom. Astrophysical Obs., Victoria, B.C.
STANDING COMMITTEE
R.V. Ramsay; E. Milton; Dr. W.L.Orr; Miss I.K.Williamson, G.Gaherty,Jr.; J.Low; R.Thompson,
                                     and E. Rogers